Flexible mounting assembly for a laundry appliance and method of use

ABSTRACT

A flexible mounting assembly is provided for a laundry assembly using a suspension rod to join a laundry assembly to a frame. The flexible mounting element is a single resilient component that provides dampening and restoring force. The method of using the flexible mounting assembly includes providing a flexible mounting element within the socket of a support frame of the laundry assembly and dampening vibrations from the laundry assembly by resisting pivoting of the suspension rod engaging the flexible mounting element.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Laundry appliances have been developed that support an internal laundryassembly with a hanging suspension system or a hung strut assembly.Previously, these systems have been designed using a rigid part torotate relative to a rigid support member. Commonly, this design hastaken a rigid ball and socket configuration which requires relativesliding between the ball and socket components to permit the hungsuspension rod to pivot.

The prior art encounters a number of disadvantages including wear at theinterface between the two rigid components that may effect performanceand may create additional vibration transferred to the frame in thelaundry assembly. In addition, this prior art often does not have aninterface between the two rigid components that prevents the separationof the ball component from the socket component especially during largedisplacement situations. Additionally, the prior art devices ofteninclude temporary solutions including grease between the interface ofthe two rigid components, the application of Teflon®, additional plasticparts, or some other combination thereof. Still other solutions requiremulti-piece rigid members.

The prior art recognized the use of flexible components to dampenvibrations resulting from the hung suspension rod laundry assemblyconfiguration. These utilize multiple rubber members clamped together toform a flexible joint. This solution lacks the simplicity of a singlepart mounting element with integral attachment features to secure thepart to the frame of the washer.

Therefore, a primary objective of the present invention is to overcomethe problem of the prior art.

A further objective of the present invention is a flexible mountingassembly for use with a laundry appliance which is economical tomanufacture, durable, and effective in use.

These and other objectives become apparent from the followingdescription of the invention and claims.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The foregoing problems of the prior art may be solved by a mountingelement designed for use in a laundry appliance having a laundryassembly hung by a suspension rod to an upper frame that is a singleresilient component that provides dampening and/or restoring force. Themounting element has a body having a passageway that accepts asuspension rod, a seating surface adapted for mating with a socket on aframe of the laundry appliance, and an attachment integrally formed withthe body to secure the body to the upper frame.

According to another feature of the present invention the attachment maybe a snap-fit connection, a twist-lock connection, a helix connection,adhesive, and/or over-molding the mounting element into the frame. Byusing a single resilient component there is a cost reduction compared tothe rigid sliding interface of the prior art.

Additionally, the foregoing problems of the prior art may be overcomeutilizing a flexible mounting assembly that includes a socket on theframe of a laundry assembly with an opening to receive the suspensionrod and a flexible mounting element, the flexible mounting elementhaving a body with a passageway therethrough so that the suspension rodcan extend through the body and a seating surface for mating with thesocket. The flexible mounting element allows the suspension rod to pivotto provide dampening and/or restoring force to the laundry assembly.

According to another feature of the present invention, the flexiblemounting element is made of an elastomeric material. The elastomericmaterial grips the socket and prevents separation of the mountingelement from the socket.

According to another feature of the present invention, the flexiblemounting element provides a dampening force as a response to thepivoting of the suspension rod.

According to another feature of the present invention, the flexiblemounting element provides a non-linear restoring force during largedisplacement situations of the laundry assembly in response to thepivoting of the suspension rod.

The foregoing problems of the prior art may also be solved by a methodof using a flexible mounting assembly with a laundry assembly, utilizinga suspension rod, including the step dampening vibration from thelaundry assembly by resisting pivoting of the suspension rod engagingthe flexible mounting element.

According to another feature of the present invention, the methodincludes the step retrofitting a laundry assembly utilizing a rigidmounting assembly with a flexible mounting assembly.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a top loading, vertical axis washingmachine.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along lines 2-2 of FIG. 1 illustratingthe positioning of the flexible mounting element.

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the flexible mounting elementin position over a support brace.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the flexible mounting element in asupport brace assembly.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of an alternate embodiment of the flexiblemounting element.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view of the flexible mounting element in a lowdisplacement situation.

FIG. 8 is a sectional view of the flexible mounting element in highdisplacement situations.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

With reference to FIG. 1, a top loading, vertical axis washing machine10 includes a cabinet 12 having a control panel 14 and a door 16 movablebetween an open and closed position.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, the washing machine 10 has a laundry assembly18 supported by front suspension rod 20 and rear suspension rod 22. Thesuspension rods 20, 22 cooperate to brace the laundry assembly 18against forces during all portions of the laundry cycles.

The front rod 20 has a bottom end 24 that is moveably connected within afront shock 26 that is attached to base 28. The front rod has a top end30 removably attached to a front arm 32 of the laundry assembly. Therear rod 22 is moveably connected at a bottom end 34 to a rear shock 36.The rear shock 36 is removably attached to a rear arm 37 of the laundryassembly 18. The front and rear shocks 26, 36 provide a dampening forceto the laundry assembly 18 during large displacements.

The rear rod 22 has a top end 38 attached to an upper frame 40 of thewashing machine 10 by a support brace 42. A mounting element 44 isprovided between the rod 22 and the support brace 42 to providedampening. The mounting element 44 also applies a restoring force whichcenters the laundry assembly 18 in the washing machine 10. The flexiblemounting element 44, in combination with the support brace 42 isgenerally referred to as a flexible mounting assembly 45. In analternate embodiment (not shown), the flexible mounting element 44 maybe attached directly to the upper frame 40.

The mounting element 44 is flexible and may be made of a elastomericmaterial such as ethylene-propylene-diene monomer rubber (EPDM),styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR), thermoplastic elastomer/rubber(TPE/TPR), or other flexible material.

As shown in FIG. 3, the flexible mounting element 44 is placed uponstrut rod 22. The flexible mounting element 44 is obstructed frommovement upward beyond the top end 38 of the rod 22 by a washer 46abutting crimps 48. The washer 46 is designed to fit adjacent an upperhorizontal surface 50 of the flexible mounting element 44. Thehorizontal surface 50 may be upon a conical platform 52. Alternatively,as seen in FIG. 6, the horizontal surface 50 may have alternativelocations including the bottom surface of a recess 53 upon the top endof the flexible mounting element 44.

The flexible mounting element 44 has a seating surface 54 as best seenin FIGS. 5-8 that is substantially spherical shaped and convex. Thisseating surface 54 may take various other shapes and configurations butis particularly useful in this shape and form when used as a retrofitreplacement for rigid ball mounting elements.

As shown in FIG. 3, a socket 56 with a central hole 59 is located on thesupport brace 42. As illustrated, the socket 56 is substantiallyspherical shaped and concave. The socket further includes a lowercylindrical flange 58 to assist in aligning the flexible mountingelement 44 within the socket 56. The flange 58 cooperates with an outerrim 60 of the flexible mounting element 44. At a lower portion of theouter rim 60 an attachment 62 is provided to connect the mountingelement 44 to the support brace 42. As illustrated, a lip attachment 62is shown that permits a “snap-fit” between the flexible mounting element44 and the support brace 42. The snap-fit occurs when the attachment lip62 is fitted adjacent the flange 58 and pushed through central hole 59,allowing the attachment lip 62 to be released outwardly. The snap-fitfeature may have a high insertion/retention force by utilizing theweight of the suspended laundry unit 18 to help seat the flexiblemounting element 44 during assembly. Other attachments 62 may include atwist-lock, helix, adhesive, tongue and groove, over-molding into thesocket, and/or other structure that attaches the flexible mountingelement to either the support brace 42 or upper frame 40.

As seen in FIG. 4, once seated, the flexible mounting element 44eliminates a bearing/wear surface that is typical of a rigid ball andsocket type mounting element. Wearing and abrasion at this interface canaffect performance of the washing machine or provide an interfacethrough which vibration is transferred to the frame 40. The describedattachment of the flexible mounting element 44 to the support brace 42creates an interface that is not susceptible to wearing of the socket56.

As seen in FIG. 5, the flange 58 may have a lower horizontal surface 64that engages the lip 62 to hinder an upward vertical force fromdisengaging the flexible mounting element 44 from the support brace 42.

As seen in FIGS. 5-8, the flexible mounting element 44 has an innerhollow shaft 68 extending downward from a main body 70 of the flexiblemounting element 44. The inner hollow shaft 68 and the main body 70 hasformed therein a common rod passageway 72. A gap 74 is provided betweenthe outer rim 60 and the inner hollow shaft 68.

As seen in FIG. 7, in low displacement situations such as one thatoccurs when a well balanced load is operated at a high spin, nodampening is needed and therefore shaft 68 gripping the rod 22 movestoward the outer rim 60 closing the gap 74 but with little dampingforce. In these situations the seating surface 54 does not move withinthe socket 56 thus avoiding wearing at this interface.

As seen in FIG. 8, a non-linear restoring force can be provided wherethere is a larger displacement of the suspended laundry assembly 18 suchas passing through critical speeds. In this situation, the horizontalgap 74 is closed by the rod 22 pivoting the shaft 68 of the flexiblemember 44 until it contacts rim 60 which generates a significantlyhigher, thus non-linear, restoring force by the body 70 against theupper portion 38 of rod 22.

The invention has been shown and described above with the preferredembodiments, and it is understood that many modifications,substitutions, and additions may be made which are within the intendedspirit and scope of the invention. From the foregoing, it can be seenthat the present invention accomplishes at least all of its statedobjectives.

1. A mounting element for a laundry appliance utilizing a suspension rodto join a laundry assembly to an upper frame, the upper frame having asocket, the mounting element comprising: a body having a passagewaytherethrough so that the suspension rod can extend through the body; aseating surface integrally formed with the body adapted for mating withthe socket; an attachment integrally formed with the body to connect thebody to the upper frame.
 2. The mounting element of claim 1 wherein thebody is formed of a flexible material.
 3. The mounting element of claim2 wherein the flexible material is an elastomeric material.
 4. Themounting element of claim 1 wherein the attachment is selected from thegroup consisting of snap-fit, twist-lock, helix, adhesive, tongue andgroove, and over-molding into the socket.
 5. The mounting element ofclaim 1 wherein the attachment means permits the body to resist relativepivoting motion with the upper frame.
 6. The mounting element of claim 1wherein the attachment means permits the body to provide a dampeningforce to the laundry assembly.
 7. The mounting element of claim 1wherein the attachment means provides a restoring force to center thelaundry assembly within the laundry appliance.
 8. The mounting elementof claim 1 further comprising a hollow shaft integrally formed with thebody and extending the passageway below the body.
 9. A flexible mountingassembly for a laundry appliance utilizing a suspension rod to join alaundry assembly to a frame, the flexible mounting assembly comprising:a socket on the frame with an opening therethrough to receive thesuspension rod and a flexible mounting element; the flexible mountingelement having a body with a passageway therethrough so that thesuspension rod can extend through the body and a seating surface formating with the socket; wherein the flexible mounting element allows thesuspension rod to pivot.
 10. The flexible mounting assembly of claim 9wherein the seating surface does not allow swivel relative to thesocket.
 11. The flexible mounting assembly of claim 10 wherein theflexible mounting element is made of an elastomeric material that gripsthe socket.
 12. The flexible mounting assembly of claim 9 wherein theflexible mounting element provides a dampening force during a lowdisplacement situation for the laundry assembly by the body in responseto the pivoting motion of the suspension rod within the flexiblemounting element.
 13. The flexible mounting assembly of claim 9 whereinthe flexible mounting element provides a non-linear restoring forceduring a large displacement situation of the laundry assembly inresponse to the pivoting motion of the suspension rod.
 14. The flexiblemounting assembly of claim 9 wherein the flexible mounting element has ahollow shaft extending the passageway from the body below the socket.15. The flexible mounting assembly of claim 13 wherein the flexiblemounting element provides a dampening force during a low displacementsituation for the laundry assembly by the shaft in response to thepivoting motion of the suspension rod.
 16. The flexible mountingassembly of claim 9 wherein the socket has a flange defining a loweropening, a lower horizontal surface at a bottom end of the flange. 17.The flexible mounting assembly of claim 16 wherein the flexible mountingelement has an outer rim extending below the flange, an annular lip uponthe outer rim adapted to engage the lower horizontal surface of theflange.
 18. The flexible mounting assembly of claim 9 wherein theflexible mounting element has a conical platform elevating a crimped endof the suspension rod above the upper frame.
 19. A method of using aflexible mounting assembly for a laundry assembly utilizing a suspensionrod to join a laundry assembly to a frame, comprising: providing aflexible mounting assembly including a socket on the frame with anopening therethrough to receive the suspension rod and a flexiblemounting element engaging the suspension rod; dampening vibration fromthe laundry assembly by resisting pivoting motion of the suspension rodengaging the flexible mounting element.
 20. The method of claim 19further comprising retrofitting a laundry assembly utilizing a rigidmounting assembly.
 21. The method of claim 19 further comprisingstructurally attaching the flexible mounting assembly to the socket. 22.The method of claim 19 wherein the step dampening vibration includesproviding a force during a low displacement situation.
 23. The method ofclaim 19 wherein the step dampening vibration includes providing anon-linear restoring force during a large displacement situation.